Matthew Askari

I took the long way. I've always loved writing, and one day during an economics class, while I was at the University of California at San Diego, I decided that's what I'd do. But covering the auto industry would have to wait a few years for another passion: Travel. After a successful stint in sales, I'd saved up enough money to roam and discover.

I've had the fortune to step foot on five continents, live on three, and travel to more than forty countries around the world, all the while taking opportunities to write along the way. I've contributed travel and culture writing to Hemispheres, the in-flight magazine of United Airlines, and to the Copenhagen Post, among other publications. When the opportunity to cover the automotive world with an industry leader in my native Los Angeles presented itself, I jumped on it.

I've owned a diverse lot of cars, including a Japanese compact, a German roadster, and an American truck, among others. I love European autos, and have an especially strong penchant for German cars. I'm also fascinated by the emerging Korean market, and am curious to see how American and Japanese companies continue to evolve. The automotive industry, like the world at large, is rapidly changing. I find the way we relate to our cars, and the ways in which we use and view them intriguing. One thing's certain: I'll always be cooking up the next great road trip.